A few weeks ago, the boyfriend suggested that we go to Madison, WI for spring break because I’d never seen the university campus. Plus, we figured that we should get a picture of the Wisconsin State Capitol while we’re in the Midwest because we’re never coming back here after we graduate. [Okay, that's not entirely true, but I'd prefer to end up back on a coast.]
When Kayla told me that she and Darby also had no travel plans for spring break, it was a overnight trip match made in heaven!
On Sunday morning, we headed up to Madison, passing by the “World’s Largest Culver’s.” Seriously?
Reason #1 why Kayla & Darby are great traveling companions: Kayla bakes cookies for the road!
Our hotel was within walking distance of the capitol building, so that was our first stop.
Just down the street from the capitol, we found a store called “Fromag-i-nation.” Normally, I’m not a huge cheese person, but I do love specialty food shops. Upon entering Fromg-i-nation, the smell of cheese was overpowering. We didn’t end up getting anything because walking around in the unseasonable heat with a block of cheese seemed like a questionable life decision.
However, Darby seriously considered some 15-year aged cheddar, which, according to label “stands alone.”
For dinner, Kayla and Darby had heard good things about the The Old Fashioned, which apparently pays tribute to Wisconsin supper clubs and taverns. The physicists had some kind of beer, which [like all beers] tasted like poison.
Oh, Shandy, you are the only beer-ish beverage for me. And this is partially because your name reminds of The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman.
By the way, is there a rule for how couples are supposed to sit when double-dating? Do the partners sit side-by-side or across? Does it matter?
Here is a kind of cheese I do like: cheese curds! Having only sampled these once, I mistakenly assumed that they were indistinguishable from mozzarella sticks.
The most delightful part about cheese curds is the strange “squeaky” sensation when you eat them. Apparently, very fresh cheese curds are even squeakier! Having fresh cheese curds has now been added to my informal life’s bucket list.
Here is Wikipedia’s page about cheese curds.
Reason #2 Kayla & Darby are great traveling companions: Like us, they organize their trips around delicious meals and still want dessert!
After dinner, we went for local ice cream at the Chocolate Shoppe (“shoppy”) with an insanely long line. During the wait, we had time to ponder the position of the cow-mascot:
Later that evening, I fell into a dairy coma.
Monday was pretty rainy, so after breakfast at Marigold Kitchen (where I exhausted my jaw eating granola) and a few failed entry attempts at museums, we headed to Cave of the Mounds. Located just 20 minutes outside of Madison, Cave of the Mounds is apparently
recognized by the Chicago Academy of Sciences as “the significant cave of the upper Midwest.”
I learned all sorts of interesting things about caves, and we got to experience total darkness, which was entirely disconcerting.
There were even spaces for photo opportunities:
For dunch, we ate at Grumpy Troll Brewery located in Mt. Horeb, WI. The town’s claim to fame is the Trollway, a main street lined with shops and troll statues.
As you can see by the velkommen sign on the vistor’s center, Mt. Horeb has a lot of Scandinavian influence. Apparently, you can still find ludefisk at local church dinners!
We decided that once Kayla and Darby graduate next year, they can move to Mt. Horeb, eat cheese curds on burgers, and find the elusive “Bonus Troll.”
Don’t ask why I posed this way.
Reason #3 Kayla and Darby are great traveling companions: They are good-natured about poking around small towns in search of Bonus Trolls.
All in all, it was a really great little trip. We saw a lot in Madison, and we were pleasantly surprised by the charming trolls in Mt. Horeb. And most importantly, we had a great time traveling with “Darbla.”
I may not be “conventionally” fun, but I think I have a pretty good time anyway.
